Torquay beat Truro City to keep title hopes alive

Matt Jay's goal ensured Torquay United got a third 1-0 win over Truro City this season after previous wins in the league and FA Trophy

Torquay United kept their National League South title hopes alive as they won 1-0 at top-of-the-table Truro City.

Matt Jay’s second-half strike was enough for the Gulls who move up to third in the table with two games to play.

They are now a point off new leaders Worthing and level on points with Truro, who drop to second place.

Just two points separate the top five sides in the league - 10-man Worthing drew 1-1 with Eastbourne Borough, who drop to fifth after Dorking Wanderers were 4-2 winners over Hampton and Richmond.

In difficult conditions neither side could break the deadlock before the interval as Luke Jephcott and Christian Oxlade-Chamberlain had chances for the hosts while Jay twice went close for the Gulls.

Truro started the second period well, but it was Torquay who had the first decent chance after an hour - Ryan Law’s mistake let in Jordan Young, but he and Cody Cooke got in each other’s way and the opportunity went begging.

A great challenge from Jordan Dyer denied Truro’s Jaze Kabia soon after before Torquay took a 65th-minute lead in front of a record crowd of 3,306 at the Truro Community Stadium.

Jay showed excellent footwork on the edge of the area before the former Exeter City player curled a left-footed effort into the top corner.

Cooke blasted over from close range seven minutes later before Truro top-scorer Tyler Harvey saw a good chance saved by James Hamon with nine minutes to go.

Truro went close from a stoppage-time corner but they could not find a way past their former goalkeeper Hamon, as the Cornish side lost for just the second time in 16 games.

Truro City manager John Askey told BBC Radio Cornwall:

"It's obviously very disappointing.

"We've played a lot better than that and we probably got what we deserved today.

"We didn't create many chances, I think we created probably one chance.

"We just huffed and puffed and allowed Torquay too much time on the ball on a couple of occasions and they've taken one of them.

"It's disappointing as we had so many supporters here and if we'd have got a result today we'd have been in a great position because results on the whole have been decent for us."

Torquay United manager Paul Wotton told BBC Radio Devon:

"It's three points away from home against the league leaders before the game.

"I thought first-half was really cagey, really nervous, I thought we were a bit edgy and sloppy on the ball.

"At half-time it was just a case of saying to the boys,'calm down, if we lose we've got a chance of the play-offs'.

"We had to play with the positivity of trying to win, rather than the fear of losing, and I think second-half we did that.

"The boys are calm. The mad thing is that today, win, lose or draw, it wouldn't have defined anything because we're having a great season anyway."